Issues with Club Licensing in Nigeria

[Enugu II]

This piece its culled from China Acheru's site. China "Ikwerreman" is a member of CE and he has a trove of very nice stories that you can find o his site and quite valuable info. Here, he writes about the issue with club licensing in the NPFL. I wonder where the NPFL does not conduct a workshop for these clubs to help them meet the requirements beyond merely issuing threats.

7 minutes with China: Who will save NFF president, Amaju Pinnick
By Nigerian Footballer
http://nigerianfootballer.com/2020/07/7 ... nnick.html

If you are a member of the Christian religion, you would have heard the statement, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

You would have also heard another one, “Guard your heart with all diligence because out of it flows the issues of life.”

These two are very popular lines in the Christian Bible and even though I have never read the Koran before, I believe it exists there in some form or the other.

I am saying this because the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has put his job on the line and he did this in March 2020 but reiterated last week.

It has to do with the recent ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the cause of the death of Chineme Martins and the submission of their report.

The president stated again like he had done before that he will ensure the recommendations of the committee are implemented even if it costs him his job as federation boss.

That was not the first time he was saying it because in March 2020 he did same when the committee was inaugurated in Benin.

The bottom line is that Amaju Pinnick had so much confidence in the membership of the committee and believed so much that they would do a good job at it.

But can the NFF president insist on the Federation implementing the report of the committee or will he lose his job as he tries to do the implementing?

On the day the report was received, Amaju Pinnick insisted that any club that fails to comply one hundred per cent with the requirements of the Club Licensing regulations will be barred from competing in the league.

Now the club licensing is a big issue in Nigerian football and I seriously doubt that any Nigerian club is ready for this, or will be ready for it any time soon.

Let me break down club licencing in a few paragraphs so we understand how heavy this is.

First, there are five Pillars of Club licensing- Sporting, Finance, Administration and Personnel, Structure and Legal, Infrastructure.

Sporting has to do with how these clubs are set up. Do they qualify to play in a particular league on sporting merit, either they gained promotion or played there the previous season. It looks at medical care for players, written contracts for players before they feature for the club, existence of a youth development program

Written contract with professional players
All teams are supposed to have written contracts with their players and this is mandatory before any player features for a given club.

Infrastructure: This has to do with availability of a stadium and training facilities meeting the minimum quality standards.

Administration and Personnel: In administration and personnel, the club must have the following qualified staff on its ranks- Doctor, Club General Management, Finance manager, First team coach, First team assistant coach, Manager for the youth development programme, Junior and minor team coaches, Offices and furniture, Physiotherapist, Nutritionist, Media and PR manager, Graduates in physical education, Security officer, Security arrangement for home games, Fans liaison officer. There should also be communication of changes in management and administration staff, while they must undergo training programmes and social responsibility.

Legal: This has to do with Submission to licensing system, having a registry entry with the Corporate Affairs Commission and registration of board of directors as well as Ownership statement and club control plus Registration of internal regulatory policy

Finance: Under the finance Pillar, The clubs should have regular financial statements, clubs should have no past due debts, provide annual income tax return and social security, have a bond guaranteeing payments to players and Financial management control.


Let us look at these five pillars of the Club Licensing and ask if there is any Nigerian club that can boast of even ten percent compliance with these.

I think we should begin to trend the hashtag, #PrayForAmaju, because if he insists that no club will play the league next season without fulfilling the Club licensing regulations, then it is either we do not have a league next season or the clubs will go all out for war to remove him (if that is possible) #PrayForAmaju.

Among the committee’s key findings were: Nasarawa United FC, late Chineme Martins’ club, had neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist, with a retired community health assistant heading its medical team, and this led to the mismanagement of the resuscitation process; there was no functional ambulance at the stadium as at the time of the incident, which led to a faulty evacuation process, and the player died before he could reach the hospital and; Nasarawa FA and Nasarawa United FC failed in their duties to put in place emergency medical services for the match. The bottom line is that they did not meet the basic Club Licensing requirements. #PrayForAmaju

A summary of the Committee’s recommendations

The committee’s recommendations are simply tied down to one thing- Club Licensing. We can talk for days on the fact that the club had no doctor, or that there was no ambulance or that there was no synergy between the FA and the club, but all of these fall under the Club Licensing which Nigerian clubs have since rejected.

If they had simply met with the minimum standards for for Club Licensing, we would not have been on this discussion. And it is not just a Nasarawa United thing, but every Nigerian club, every one of them. None is ready.

I know Amaju Pinnick wants the best for Nigerian football and that is why he spoke out of the abundance of his heart, but can he pull it off?

Maybe, he could have guarded his heart with diligence, knowing that he would be bound by the words that come from the abundance of that heart.

But then again, maybe, he is sure he can pull it off so he insists it will be done. #PrayForAmaju.

Three times he made the same statement- at the committee inauguration, on an interview with Channels TV and at the submission of the report.

My pastor, Mogaji Adebola would always tell us that Repetition is for reinforcement.

Amaju Pinnick made this statement in March, reinforced it in April, then last week while receiving the committee report, he reiterated the same thing.

I do not believe Amaju Pinnick is just mouthing off. I believe he is serious about what he wants to do, but he will have to battle at least eighteen state governors. Can he win this?

Who will save the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick? Let us #PrayForAmaju

[Dammy]

This piece its culled from China Acheru's site. China "Ikwerreman" is a member of CE and he has a trove of very nice stories that you can find o his site and quite valuable info. Here, he writes about the issue with club licensing in the NPFL. I wonder where the NPFL does not conduct a workshop for these clubs to help them meet the requirements beyond merely issuing threats.

7 minutes with China: Who will save NFF president, Amaju Pinnick
By Nigerian Footballer
http://nigerianfootballer.com/2020/07/7 ... nnick.html

If you are a member of the Christian religion, you would have heard the statement, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

You would have also heard another one, “Guard your heart with all diligence because out of it flows the issues of life.”

These two are very popular lines in the Christian Bible and even though I have never read the Koran before, I believe it exists there in some form or the other.

I am saying this because the president of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has put his job on the line and he did this in March 2020 but reiterated last week.

It has to do with the recent ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the cause of the death of Chineme Martins and the submission of their report.

The president stated again like he had done before that he will ensure the recommendations of the committee are implemented even if it costs him his job as federation boss.

That was not the first time he was saying it because in March 2020 he did same when the committee was inaugurated in Benin.

The bottom line is that Amaju Pinnick had so much confidence in the membership of the committee and believed so much that they would do a good job at it.

But can the NFF president insist on the Federation implementing the report of the committee or will he lose his job as he tries to do the implementing?

On the day the report was received, Amaju Pinnick insisted that any club that fails to comply one hundred per cent with the requirements of the Club Licensing regulations will be barred from competing in the league.

Now the club licensing is a big issue in Nigerian football and I seriously doubt that any Nigerian club is ready for this, or will be ready for it any time soon.

Let me break down club licencing in a few paragraphs so we understand how heavy this is.

First, there are five Pillars of Club licensing- Sporting, Finance, Administration and Personnel, Structure and Legal, Infrastructure.

Sporting has to do with how these clubs are set up. Do they qualify to play in a particular league on sporting merit, either they gained promotion or played there the previous season. It looks at medical care for players, written contracts for players before they feature for the club, existence of a youth development program

Written contract with professional players
All teams are supposed to have written contracts with their players and this is mandatory before any player features for a given club.

Infrastructure: This has to do with availability of a stadium and training facilities meeting the minimum quality standards.

Administration and Personnel: In administration and personnel, the club must have the following qualified staff on its ranks- Doctor, Club General Management, Finance manager, First team coach, First team assistant coach, Manager for the youth development programme, Junior and minor team coaches, Offices and furniture, Physiotherapist, Nutritionist, Media and PR manager, Graduates in physical education, Security officer, Security arrangement for home games, Fans liaison officer. There should also be communication of changes in management and administration staff, while they must undergo training programmes and social responsibility.

Legal: This has to do with Submission to licensing system, having a registry entry with the Corporate Affairs Commission and registration of board of directors as well as Ownership statement and club control plus Registration of internal regulatory policy

Finance: Under the finance Pillar, The clubs should have regular financial statements, clubs should have no past due debts, provide annual income tax return and social security, have a bond guaranteeing payments to players and Financial management control.


Let us look at these five pillars of the Club Licensing and ask if there is any Nigerian club that can boast of even ten percent compliance with these.

I think we should begin to trend the hashtag, #PrayForAmaju, because if he insists that no club will play the league next season without fulfilling the Club licensing regulations, then it is either we do not have a league next season or the clubs will go all out for war to remove him (if that is possible) #PrayForAmaju.

Among the committee’s key findings were: Nasarawa United FC, late Chineme Martins’ club, had neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist, with a retired community health assistant heading its medical team, and this led to the mismanagement of the resuscitation process; there was no functional ambulance at the stadium as at the time of the incident, which led to a faulty evacuation process, and the player died before he could reach the hospital and; Nasarawa FA and Nasarawa United FC failed in their duties to put in place emergency medical services for the match. The bottom line is that they did not meet the basic Club Licensing requirements. #PrayForAmaju

A summary of the Committee’s recommendations

The committee’s recommendations are simply tied down to one thing- Club Licensing. We can talk for days on the fact that the club had no doctor, or that there was no ambulance or that there was no synergy between the FA and the club, but all of these fall under the Club Licensing which Nigerian clubs have since rejected.

If they had simply met with the minimum standards for for Club Licensing, we would not have been on this discussion. And it is not just a Nasarawa United thing, but every Nigerian club, every one of them. None is ready.

I know Amaju Pinnick wants the best for Nigerian football and that is why he spoke out of the abundance of his heart, but can he pull it off?

Maybe, he could have guarded his heart with diligence, knowing that he would be bound by the words that come from the abundance of that heart.

But then again, maybe, he is sure he can pull it off so he insists it will be done. #PrayForAmaju.

Three times he made the same statement- at the committee inauguration, on an interview with Channels TV and at the submission of the report.

My pastor, Mogaji Adebola would always tell us that Repetition is for reinforcement.

Amaju Pinnick made this statement in March, reinforced it in April, then last week while receiving the committee report, he reiterated the same thing.

I do not believe Amaju Pinnick is just mouthing off. I believe he is serious about what he wants to do, but he will have to battle at least eighteen state governors. Can he win this?

Who will save the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick? Let us #PrayForAmaju

We cannot allow the status quo to continue. I fully support Amaju on the implementation. The NFF should meet with the Governors and explain why the situation has to change. Impress on them that they would be writing their names in the anals of Nigerian football history. Nothing changes if not tackled.

[mcal]

You mean these thing are not readiy available in Nigeria football, and yet we want to win it all, world cup and all?

Written contract with professional players
All teams are supposed to have written contracts with their players and this is mandatory before any player features for a given club.

Infrastructure: This has to do with availability of a stadium and training facilities meeting the minimum quality standards.

Administration and Personnel: In administration and personnel, the club must have the following qualified staff on its ranks- Doctor, Club General Management, Finance manager, First team coach, First team assistant coach, Manager for the youth development programme, Junior and minor team coaches, Offices and furniture, Physiotherapist, Nutritionist, Media and PR manager, Graduates in physical education, Security officer, Security arrangement for home games, Fans liaison officer. There should also be communication of changes in management and administration staff, while they must undergo training programmes and social responsibility.

Legal: This has to do with Submission to licensing system, having a registry entry with the Corporate Affairs Commission and registration of board of directors as well as Ownership statement and club control plus Registration of internal regulatory policy

Finance: Under the finance Pillar, The clubs should have regular financial statements, clubs should have no past due debts, provide annual income tax return and social security, have a bond guaranteeing payments to players and Financial management control.


I shake my damn head at this. When one critics the country and style the thieving benefactors will call yo names

Among the committee’s key findings were: Nasarawa United FC, late Chineme Martins’ club, had neither a medical doctor nor a physiotherapist, with a retired community health assistant heading its medical team, and this led to the mismanagement of the resuscitation process; there was no functional ambulance at the stadium as at the time of the incident, which led to a faulty evacuation process, and the player died before he could reach the hospital and; Nasarawa FA and Nasarawa United FC failed in their duties to put in place emergency medical services for the match. The bottom line is that they did not meet the basic Club Licensing requirements. #PrayForAmaju

Since these governors own and operate the clubs, those things are bare essential they can afford, period.

[oscar52]

Its not impossible. Reduce all the mumbo jumbo to a two page checklist and send to each club to execute with a deadline and provide guidance on how. A lot of graduates in Nigeria looking for work.

[Akure4Life]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

[Enugu II]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

I actually feel that the continued state involvement in our clubs is a major hindrance in so many ways. Unfortunately, the fact that the NFF is beholden to the state makes serious reform exceedingly difficult. If it wasn't, then reform can be forced from underneath as was the case in Nigeria's movie and music industries. But because there is a centralized control of football, the state must participate in the dismantling of its current control. Nevertheless, there is little or no incentive for the state to hands off football because of the power off the sport -- its hold on the public and its use as payoff to underlings. In such a situation, it requires a state leader who can think of a future devoid of state involvement e.g. Obasanjo's move on the telecoms industry or the earlier opening of the air to private transportation interests.

In my view, without the state's withdrawal from football, especially at the professional level, the situation of the NPFL will not be improved. Presently, the state uses football as payoff to underlings who feed fat on whatever is accruable from involvement with these clubs. They are not there to improve clubs because they know that their tenure is temporary and they want to take as much as they can find and not to improve the clubs.

Efforts by individuals to dismantle this system will likely fail without coalescing the state. In my view, the only hope is to get a leader of the state who decides to dismantle this system. This is just my view.

[Dammy]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

I actually feel that the continued state involvement in our clubs is a major hindrance in so many ways. Unfortunately, the fact that the NFF is beholden to the state makes serious reform exceedingly difficult. If it wasn't, then reform can be forced from underneath as was the case in Nigeria's movie and music industries. But because there is a centralized control of football, the state must participate in the dismantling of its current control. Nevertheless, there is little or no incentive for the state to hands off football because of the power off the sport -- its hold on the public and its use as payoff to underlings. In such a situation, it requires a state leader who can think of a future devoid of state involvement e.g. Obasanjo's move on the telecoms industry or the earlier opening of the air to private transportation interests.

In my view, without the state's withdrawal from football, especially at the professional level, the situation of the NPFL will not be improved. Presently, the state uses football as payoff to underlings who feed fat on whatever is accruable from involvement with these clubs. They are not there to improve clubs because they know that their tenure is temporary and they want to take as much as they can find and not to improve the clubs.

Efforts by individuals to dismantle this system will likely fail without coalescing the state. In my view, the only hope is to get a leader of the state who decides to dismantle this system. This is just my view.

I agree with you, that's why I mentioned that the Governors have to be carried along.

[Enugu II]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

I actually feel that the continued state involvement in our clubs is a major hindrance in so many ways. Unfortunately, the fact that the NFF is beholden to the state makes serious reform exceedingly difficult. If it wasn't, then reform can be forced from underneath as was the case in Nigeria's movie and music industries. But because there is a centralized control of football, the state must participate in the dismantling of its current control. Nevertheless, there is little or no incentive for the state to hands off football because of the power off the sport -- its hold on the public and its use as payoff to underlings. In such a situation, it requires a state leader who can think of a future devoid of state involvement e.g. Obasanjo's move on the telecoms industry or the earlier opening of the air to private transportation interests.

In my view, without the state's withdrawal from football, especially at the professional level, the situation of the NPFL will not be improved. Presently, the state uses football as payoff to underlings who feed fat on whatever is accruable from involvement with these clubs. They are not there to improve clubs because they know that their tenure is temporary and they want to take as much as they can find and not to improve the clubs.

Efforts by individuals to dismantle this system will likely fail without coalescing the state. In my view, the only hope is to get a leader of the state who decides to dismantle this system. This is just my view.

I agree with you, that's why I mentioned that the Governors have to be carried along.

Dammy,

TBH, I am really skeptical that true professional football can be achieved in Nigeria given the current environment. It makes one feel very sad because if the environment was to be modified, Nigeria can create a great environment for the game. I look at the movie industry, telephone, somewhat airline industry, and it makes me feel there is enormous potential to make football profitable in Nigeria but it will require ENORMOUS OVERHAULING of the system. As they say in Nigeria Igbo language, the government is the agada gba chirii uzo (the government is simply the road block).

[Dammy]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

I actually feel that the continued state involvement in our clubs is a major hindrance in so many ways. Unfortunately, the fact that the NFF is beholden to the state makes serious reform exceedingly difficult. If it wasn't, then reform can be forced from underneath as was the case in Nigeria's movie and music industries. But because there is a centralized control of football, the state must participate in the dismantling of its current control. Nevertheless, there is little or no incentive for the state to hands off football because of the power off the sport -- its hold on the public and its use as payoff to underlings. In such a situation, it requires a state leader who can think of a future devoid of state involvement e.g. Obasanjo's move on the telecoms industry or the earlier opening of the air to private transportation interests.

In my view, without the state's withdrawal from football, especially at the professional level, the situation of the NPFL will not be improved. Presently, the state uses football as payoff to underlings who feed fat on whatever is accruable from involvement with these clubs. They are not there to improve clubs because they know that their tenure is temporary and they want to take as much as they can find and not to improve the clubs.

Efforts by individuals to dismantle this system will likely fail without coalescing the state. In my view, the only hope is to get a leader of the state who decides to dismantle this system. This is just my view.

I agree with you, that's why I mentioned that the Governors have to be carried along.

Dammy,

TBH, I am really skeptical that true professional football can be achieved in Nigeria given the current environment. It makes one feel very sad because if the environment was to be modified, Nigeria can create a great environment for the game. I look at the movie industry, telephone, somewhat airline industry, and it makes me feel there is enormous potential to make football profitable in Nigeria but it will require ENORMOUS OVERHAULING of the system. As they say in Nigeria Igbo language, the government is the agada gba chirii uzo (the government is simply the road block).

We have a few relatively young Governors, who know how things work in the outside world and Amaju can leverage on them to get the Governors forum to approve the necessary changes. It just has to be done, in terms of domestic football the likes of Sudan, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania etc are ahead of us. He needs to pitch to the Governors forum and like a CE suggested, if it means reducing the number of teams in the league, so be it.

[Enugu II]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

I actually feel that the continued state involvement in our clubs is a major hindrance in so many ways. Unfortunately, the fact that the NFF is beholden to the state makes serious reform exceedingly difficult. If it wasn't, then reform can be forced from underneath as was the case in Nigeria's movie and music industries. But because there is a centralized control of football, the state must participate in the dismantling of its current control. Nevertheless, there is little or no incentive for the state to hands off football because of the power off the sport -- its hold on the public and its use as payoff to underlings. In such a situation, it requires a state leader who can think of a future devoid of state involvement e.g. Obasanjo's move on the telecoms industry or the earlier opening of the air to private transportation interests.

In my view, without the state's withdrawal from football, especially at the professional level, the situation of the NPFL will not be improved. Presently, the state uses football as payoff to underlings who feed fat on whatever is accruable from involvement with these clubs. They are not there to improve clubs because they know that their tenure is temporary and they want to take as much as they can find and not to improve the clubs.

Efforts by individuals to dismantle this system will likely fail without coalescing the state. In my view, the only hope is to get a leader of the state who decides to dismantle this system. This is just my view.

I agree with you, that's why I mentioned that the Governors have to be carried along.

Dammy,

TBH, I am really skeptical that true professional football can be achieved in Nigeria given the current environment. It makes one feel very sad because if the environment was to be modified, Nigeria can create a great environment for the game. I look at the movie industry, telephone, somewhat airline industry, and it makes me feel there is enormous potential to make football profitable in Nigeria but it will require ENORMOUS OVERHAULING of the system. As they say in Nigeria Igbo language, the government is the agada gba chirii uzo (the government is simply the road block).

We have a few relatively young Governors, who know how things work in the outside world and Amaju can leverage on them to get the Governors forum to approve the necessary changes. It just has to be done, in terms of domestic football the likes of Sudan, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania etc are ahead of us. He needs to pitch to the Governors forum and like a CE suggested, if it means reducing the number of teams in the league, so be it.

Agreed. What is even the rationale for 20 teams when they all cannot handle paying labor? Does Amaju and the league have the will to let down the hammer? We shall see.

I think about the league a lot and the future is not bright. If they can open it up to a bright future, it will be commendable. I think, for instance, the huge distances that labor has to travel to play a game (e.g. Lagos to Maidugri) and yet the league will schedule two games a week. Imagine such a schedule after those long road travels. Just incredible!

TBH, if the league has 6 or 8 teams so be it as long as these teams are better organized with the NPFL having ability to inspect their books and mete out punishments, etc. There just has to be some sanity. This idea of constantly owing labor has to stop.

[Dammy]

If it means having a reduced number of clubs in our leagues. So be it.

Until we have a world class structure, our football is going nowhere

I actually feel that the continued state involvement in our clubs is a major hindrance in so many ways. Unfortunately, the fact that the NFF is beholden to the state makes serious reform exceedingly difficult. If it wasn't, then reform can be forced from underneath as was the case in Nigeria's movie and music industries. But because there is a centralized control of football, the state must participate in the dismantling of its current control. Nevertheless, there is little or no incentive for the state to hands off football because of the power off the sport -- its hold on the public and its use as payoff to underlings. In such a situation, it requires a state leader who can think of a future devoid of state involvement e.g. Obasanjo's move on the telecoms industry or the earlier opening of the air to private transportation interests.

In my view, without the state's withdrawal from football, especially at the professional level, the situation of the NPFL will not be improved. Presently, the state uses football as payoff to underlings who feed fat on whatever is accruable from involvement with these clubs. They are not there to improve clubs because they know that their tenure is temporary and they want to take as much as they can find and not to improve the clubs.

Efforts by individuals to dismantle this system will likely fail without coalescing the state. In my view, the only hope is to get a leader of the state who decides to dismantle this system. This is just my view.

I agree with you, that's why I mentioned that the Governors have to be carried along.

Dammy,

TBH, I am really skeptical that true professional football can be achieved in Nigeria given the current environment. It makes one feel very sad because if the environment was to be modified, Nigeria can create a great environment for the game. I look at the movie industry, telephone, somewhat airline industry, and it makes me feel there is enormous potential to make football profitable in Nigeria but it will require ENORMOUS OVERHAULING of the system. As they say in Nigeria Igbo language, the government is the agada gba chirii uzo (the government is simply the road block).

We have a few relatively young Governors, who know how things work in the outside world and Amaju can leverage on them to get the Governors forum to approve the necessary changes. It just has to be done, in terms of domestic football the likes of Sudan, Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania etc are ahead of us. He needs to pitch to the Governors forum and like a CE suggested, if it means reducing the number of teams in the league, so be it.

Agreed. What is even the rationale for 20 teams when they all cannot handle paying labor? Does Amaju and the league have the will to let down the hammer? We shall see.

I think about the league a lot and the future is not bright. If they can open it up to a bright future, it will be commendable. I think, for instance, the huge distances that labor has to travel to play a game (e.g. Lagos to Maidugri) and yet the league will schedule two games a week. Imagine such a schedule after those long road travels. Just incredible!

TBH, if the league has 6 or 8 teams so be it as long as these teams are better organized with the NPFL having ability to inspect their books and mete out punishments, etc. There just has to be some sanity. This idea of constantly owing labor has to stop.

If we start with 6 or 8 clubs, others will meet up with the requirements as time goes on.